The Miami link to Eric Cantor's polling firm

@PatriciaMazzei

The stunning primary loss Tuesday by Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia put the polling firm working for his campaign, McLaughlin & Associates, in the spotlight for failing to measure the popularity of challenger David Brat.

Pollster John McLaughlin predicted Cantor would win by 34 percentage points. Instead, he lost by 10.

That same New York firm appears on the campaign expenses of Miami-Dade School Board member Carlos Curbelo, a Republican running for Flroida's 26th Congressional District. Last year, Curbelo's campaign paid the company $11,990 for polling, federal elections records show.

Curbelo indicated Wednesday that he's not worried. Polling for his campaign is being performed by Jim McLaughlin, the firm's CEO, not John, the company's president.

"Jim McLaughlin is a top-notch pollster with a record of accuracy and professionalism in the South Florida market," Curbelo said. "We are fortunate to have him on our team."